Knapp to fans: Don't give up on Rousey vs. Cyborg

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                                Knapp to fans: Don't give up on Rousey vs. Cyborg

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                        <a href="/go=news.detail&gid=450322" ><img class="photo" src="http://img.mixedmartialarts.com/method=get&rs=91&q=75&x=4&y=6&w=310&h=165&ro=0&s=ronda-rousey-cris-cyborg.png" /></a>



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                    <p>Without Joe Frazier, there would be no Muhammad Ali as we know him. Greatness in combat sports comes not from utter domination, but from winning the great fights.</p>

UFC women's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey is the best known female mixed martial arts fighter on Earth. She may even be the best know MMA fighter period. But she never had a great, defining fight.

The figure that woulda shoulda could give her that, and maybe more, is of course Invicta FC featherweight champion Cris 'Cyborg' Justino. For nearly two years the fight has edged closer and then receded back.

Now invicta FC president Shannon Knapp says it is closer than it has ever been.

"I can't really say that it will happen this year," said Knapp to Marc Raimondi for MMAFighting.com. "But what I can tell you is the fans should not give up, because this fight is closer than it has ever been -- ever. If it's gonna happen, I think we're gonna see it happen possibly by the end of this year or first quarter of next."

The pair will be fighting later this month less than a day and a mile apart. Justino, 29, defends her featherweight title against Charmaine Tweet in the main event of Invicta FC 11 on Feb. 27 in Los Angeles, live on UFC Fight Pass. Rousey defends her title against Cat Zingano at UFC 184, also in LA, live on PPV.

"I think it's going to be amazing," Knapp said. "And definitely I look at it as a landmark weekend for the women.

"Women have certainly carved out their spot in the sport and I think that's an amazing thing for the female athlete."

MMA promotion has only a few genuine heroes. But Shannon Knapp, whose #1 is goal is making a fight that won't even be in her organization, is on the very short list. And we all hope to see her dream fulfilled.

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Shannon's awesome!

 

Cindy

I'd love to see this but hasn't the biggest issue been the weight difference? 

 

I don't see Rousey going up to face someone in a different weight class in a different org so Cyborg would most likely have to cut weight and fight in the UFC which seems like the most logical course of action.

 

I'd love to see this.

Honestly the only way I see this fight happening is if the UFC brought in a 145lb division or they did away with 135 and made it 140 instead. Phone Post 3.0

battle of the shemales

BEST KNOWN MMA FIGHTER PERIOD! Phone Post 3.0

At this point I have serious reservations that Cyborg would sign on even if the UFC created a 145 division.  I have no idea what excuse she would use though.

We all heard the same schtick from Dana when he said he would sign Anderson vs Bones or Anderson vs GSP. Phone Post 3.0

^Maybe Cyborg already signed (or is close to signing)? She took pics with Dana at UFC event. Also, I saw an ad for fight pass featuring her past fights. Just my conjecture...

Hard to imagine how she'd make 145 lbs. without losing CORE (err... you know what I mean) muscle:

 

Rousey defends a few more times, CLEARLY wipes out the division, super fight at 140 for a monster pay day, and retires on too.... Remains wmma legend for eternity.

That's the correct play here. Phone Post 3.0

And just for comparison, so we know where those extra 10 lbs. are (Miesha's just a treat in this thread):

 

 

No way this fight happens with all these people getting busted for PEDs. Phone Post 3.0

She is fucking irrelevant. Wrong weight, wrong company, popped hot and more importantly...she doesn't even deserve a shot at the title in the first place.

Ronda's trying to get the right circumstances.

Cyborg is fighting someone she shouldn't fight. I am not bashing Tweet but all of her wins were against girls with 2 or 3 fights. She has lost to anyone with experience she has faced. And comparing Cyborg to Frazier is absolute lunacy. Ronda is popular without Cyborg and if they never fight, the only people that will care are a few people on this forum.

There is no future what so ever for a female 145 div.

I am still surprised people think this fight is going to happen.

There have been chances on both sides to make this fight and it hasn't happened. When Cyborg turned down the contract DW offered her, that was pretty much all she wrote. She has made no attempt to prove she can get anywhere near 135 and her last fight was a kickboxing match she lost. This fight is to get her back in her winning ways and to remind people of what she can do. Then of course is the million dollar question of, can she make 135. She hasn't made the attempt yet and has been on both sides of the fence about it. Unless she can make 135 this fight WILL NOT happen, thinking otherwise is just lying to yourself.

And the worst part of this, is people are over looking Cat, which is a mistake.

Ill watch Cyborg smash in Invicta and RR wreck house in the UFC and Im ok with that. A lot of people got over Fedor, you will get over Cyborg.

top man - 
50shots - battle of the shemales


I didn't know your mother was fighting


wow, funny and original

Is the organization Cyborg fights for associated/funded by Zuffa/UFC in any way?

top man - 
Throwin'Knuckles - It doesn't takd two years to lose 10 lbs. it's completely possibly. Chris is a big thick girl. You want fight to Honda? Eat less. Give fans what want to see.


but then she won't be able to have children. that's a lot to ask for a fight



Having children is the least of her concerns, SHE WILL DIE, and she brought a doctors note to prove it.

top man -
mongo54 - 
top man - 
Throwin'Knuckles - It doesn't takd two years to lose 10 lbs. it's completely possibly. Chris is a big thick girl. You want fight to Honda? Eat less. Give fans what want to see.


but then she won't be able to have children. that's a lot to ask for a fight



Having children is the least of her concerns, SHE WILL DIE, and she brought a doctors note to prove it.



you can't have children if you are dead

The weight cut would kill her so hard her grandchildren won't be able to have children Phone Post 3.0